Lung nodules & scared!

March 1, 2017 at 7:44 pm
I had a Ct in December 2016,showed 3 nodules 6mm,5mm&4mm in right upper lobe! Last week I had a Ct bc of a different issue and ER Dr told me I had 1 nodule in my right upper lobe that was 8mm and subpleural and a tiny subleural nodule in my left lower lone and small scattered lymph nodes throughout the paratracheal region? What does this mean?Pulmononlogist called finally after a few weeks and finally radiology compared both Cts and was told I need Pet Scan which is next Tuesday. I feel frozen and numb! He said it was triangular in shape and something about right hiler? Gosh I can’t even think. Advice please

My Pulmonoligist here is referring me to one in Munster Indiana bc he said he doesn’t have equipment to do bronchoscopy here which is weird bc it’s same hospital affiliation? So Tuesday is my appt with him to set appt for biopsy and this is all frustrating and scary but I will also get a second opinion as well. I’m reading more about how chemo is very bad and really good nutrition is better too.Why would radiation be a choice if it only kills the good cells?

@pattymac, I just now discovered your post here as I was scrolling thru some discussion, which I usually do on my Sunday mornings after I return home from church. I am sorry to see that you are facing so much uncertainty and fear with your current situation. I am completely ignorant of the particulars that you have been discussing about the lungs, so I have no comments about that. But I do share with you the confusion of being sent here and there for more testing. This is a necessity where there is a limited number of specialists and equipment. When this happened to me, with end stage liver disease, I learned that it guided my physicians to a clearer picture of what was going on inside of my body. Scopes, scans, biopsies…you name it. Be patient because time does crawl in these situations.
I imagine that your doctor is looking for more information so he can accurately diagnose and thus provide treatment. It is frightening for us, the non medical people. As difficult as it is to wait, the last thing you want is an incomplete or inaccurate diagnosis.

My suggestion, and it is based on my past experience is this: Focus on just going to appointment Tuesday and see what the doctor says. Write down your concerns and your questions to ask him, And then, move to the next step. Please do not confuse and frighten yourself by trying to self diagnose yourself and interpret your own tests results!. It is easy to do, now with all of the information, (some of it inaccurate) that is available online.
I hope for you to receive answers soon. In the mean time, please find some comfort in knowing that you are not alone in feeling like this.
Rosemary

My Pulmonoligist here is referring me to one in Munster Indiana bc he said he doesn’t have equipment to do bronchoscopy here which is weird bc it’s same hospital affiliation? So Tuesday is my appt with him to set appt for biopsy and this is all frustrating and scary but I will also get a second opinion as well. I’m reading more about how chemo is very bad and really good nutrition is better too.Why would radiation be a choice if it only kills the good cells?

My Pulmonoligist here is referring me to one in Munster Indiana bc he said he doesn’t have equipment to do bronchoscopy here which is weird bc it’s same hospital affiliation? So Tuesday is my appt with him to set appt for biopsy and this is all frustrating and scary but I will also get a second opinion as well. I’m reading more about how chemo is very bad and really good nutrition is better too.Why would radiation be a choice if it only kills the good cells?

@pattymac, Hi again. I know that you are working to be proactive with your health. And that is great! But keep this in mind – since you are looking at a possible complicated health issue here, would you consider waiting until after you consult with your doctor before you make any changes to your diet?
I don’t feel that this is an appropriate time any drastic changes. No need to add more stress to your body, even if your intentions are good.
Rosemary

Hi @pattymac. Nice to e-meet you here. I am very sorry to read about your health travails. I was my wife’s primary caregiver during her 14+ year war against brain cancer so my thoughts come from that orientation. From her experiences I can agree the ‘waiting and watching’ times in our medical journeys can often be extremely difficult on one’s nerves! We are so often programmed to expect immediate medical solutions to our problems that waiting can be excruciating. In my wife’s case she worked very hard to try and focus her energies anywhere other than on her (at the time) current health issue during those times of waiting and uncertainty. She would often use these times to treat herself to some indulgence or other. During her illness her mantra was ‘in all things moderation’ so she would use her exceedingly challenging times to treat herself. A book, dessert, have me cook a favored meal or food, make a phone call to an old friend, order a trinket for herself from a catalog, etc. Might not work for anyone else, but it did for her.

I live in the same area as you and likewise have been frequently ‘outsourced’ by my GP to Chesterton, Valpo, LaPorte, and beyond for specific tests or specialists. Maybe the new hospital will provide more extensive services once it is done.

I wish you the best as you wait. Please know there is a big online Connect community here to listen and visit with you.

My Pulmonoligist here is referring me to one in Munster Indiana bc he said he doesn’t have equipment to do bronchoscopy here which is weird bc it’s same hospital affiliation? So Tuesday is my appt with him to set appt for biopsy and this is all frustrating and scary but I will also get a second opinion as well. I’m reading more about how chemo is very bad and really good nutrition is better too.Why would radiation be a choice if it only kills the good cells?

@rosemarya Thank you so much for your support and I am trying to calm down but every time I look into my sons eyes I get so sad thinking I won’t see his children get married or graduate since there isn’t a cure for lung cancer:( My diet hasn’t changed too much since I always drink protein shakes anyway but do want to eat healthy. I think part of me is so angry that all those cardiac stress tests and appts at my Dr complaining of chest fluttering and pain was bc of lung cancer all along and he didn’t listen to me. I’m still going to mass and praying so pray God takes this away.

My Pulmonoligist here is referring me to one in Munster Indiana bc he said he doesn’t have equipment to do bronchoscopy here which is weird bc it’s same hospital affiliation? So Tuesday is my appt with him to set appt for biopsy and this is all frustrating and scary but I will also get a second opinion as well. I’m reading more about how chemo is very bad and really good nutrition is better too.Why would radiation be a choice if it only kills the good cells?

Hello, I am sorry you are going through this right now. I am sending prayers your way. Please keep in mind that PET SCANS contain Glucose to help detect the cancerous cells BUT THAT IS SUGAR which feeds the cancer and makes it grow aggressively. PLEASE CONSIDER LIMITING THESE PET SCANS IF AT ALL! My sisters lung cancer spread VERY VERY AGGRESSIVELY in one week through her entire body, lymph nodes, liver, spine, intestines, abdomen, neck. SUGAR FEEDS CANCER!

Hello, I am sorry you are going through this right now. I am sending prayers your way. Please keep in mind that PET SCANS contain Glucose to help detect the cancerous cells BUT THAT IS SUGAR which feeds the cancer and makes it grow aggressively. PLEASE CONSIDER LIMITING THESE PET SCANS IF AT ALL! My sisters lung cancer spread VERY VERY AGGRESSIVELY in one week through her entire body, lymph nodes, liver, spine, intestines, abdomen, neck. SUGAR FEEDS CANCER!

This misconception may be based in part on a misunderstanding of positron emission tomography (PET) scans, which use a small amount of radioactive tracer — typically a form of glucose. All tissues in your body absorb some of this tracer, but tissues that are using more energy — including cancer cells — absorb greater amounts. For this reason, some people have concluded that cancer cells grow faster on sugar. But this isn’t true.

However, there is some evidence that consuming large amounts of sugar is associated with an increased risk of certain cancers, including esophageal cancer. It can also lead to weight gain and increase the risk of obesity and diabetes, which may increase the risk of cancer.

Hello @pattimac, I am sorry you are going though all the uncertainty right now. The uncertainty coupled with the time on your hands while waiting can cause the stress to be awful. I can’t begin to put myself in your shoes but I have over the years found myself stressed to the max over waiting for bad news on family members, my own health and the yucky corporate job. Through some of my volunteer work with the Minnesota Neuropathy Association, I ran across a chair yoga exercise that is very easy to do and may offer some minor relief or at a minimum keep your mind busy focusing on something else for a short time. I attached a “how to” PDF document that I am hoping will help.

It warms my heart to see Connect members responding to your questions and offering help. Keep thinking positive thoughts.

My Pulmonoligist here is referring me to one in Munster Indiana bc he said he doesn’t have equipment to do bronchoscopy here which is weird bc it’s same hospital affiliation? So Tuesday is my appt with him to set appt for biopsy and this is all frustrating and scary but I will also get a second opinion as well. I’m reading more about how chemo is very bad and really good nutrition is better too.Why would radiation be a choice if it only kills the good cells?

@pattymac, I was laying back in this discussion between you and several of our Connect monitors, because you were receiving a lot of good suggestions — among others the nutritional input from @jms7, which reflect some good advice about a well-rounded nutrition program that works well when you are in charge of researching it and formulating it to your unique needs. My main thought about nutrition is simply that you shouldn’t expect it to deliver a cure for your lung problems, but instead to give you greater confidence and calmness that you are doing the best you can do for the huge part of your body that is NOT suspected of being diseased.

The main reason I jumped in here is your flat statement that “there isn’t a cure for lung cancer.” That’s an outdated notion that was still rooted in medical literature as late as 5 years ago and is often repeated by people who read a lot of medical research reports, too many of which are obsolete. The National Cancer Society says more than half of those diagnosed with lung cancer live at least five more years after an early diagnosis. Many of those survivors are being cured. How come? There have been major breakthroughs in recent months — finding cancer cures using the newest technology for modifying genetic material to mark cancer cells for elimination. Several of these are being tested now in clinical trials on humans.

I also wanted you to know that you’re within hailing distance of the best treatment instution in the country for pulmonology cases and 7 other specialties — Mayo Clinic at Rochester, MN was selected for that recognition last year by US News and World Report, a traditional indicator of medical excellence. A call to them will get you important information on how to view your current situation and how to get your insurance to cover treatment provided by Mayo.

My Pulmonoligist here is referring me to one in Munster Indiana bc he said he doesn’t have equipment to do bronchoscopy here which is weird bc it’s same hospital affiliation? So Tuesday is my appt with him to set appt for biopsy and this is all frustrating and scary but I will also get a second opinion as well. I’m reading more about how chemo is very bad and really good nutrition is better too.Why would radiation be a choice if it only kills the good cells?

My Pulmonoligist here is referring me to one in Munster Indiana bc he said he doesn’t have equipment to do bronchoscopy here which is weird bc it’s same hospital affiliation? So Tuesday is my appt with him to set appt for biopsy and this is all frustrating and scary but I will also get a second opinion as well. I’m reading more about how chemo is very bad and really good nutrition is better too.Why would radiation be a choice if it only kills the good cells?

Hello, I am sorry you are going through this right now. I am sending prayers your way. Please keep in mind that PET SCANS contain Glucose to help detect the cancerous cells BUT THAT IS SUGAR which feeds the cancer and makes it grow aggressively. PLEASE CONSIDER LIMITING THESE PET SCANS IF AT ALL! My sisters lung cancer spread VERY VERY AGGRESSIVELY in one week through her entire body, lymph nodes, liver, spine, intestines, abdomen, neck. SUGAR FEEDS CANCER!